SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The second jirga of nine major tribes of Ahmadzai Wazir held in Wana Rustam Bazaar of Lower South Waziristan district on Monday demanded reopening of the Angoor Adda trade route.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl district president Maulana Mirza Jan, Malik Saeedullah, Malik Jameel, Malik Saidra Noor and Waziristan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Saifur Rehman said that suspension of commercial and business activities through the border point had caused huge losses to the tribesmen.

They said suspension of trade had also caused dearly to the exchequer.

The tribal elders called for immediate reopening of the border route to help end unemployment and poverty in the region.

The tribals also passed a resolution vowing to deal with iron hands those trying to hurt the Pak-Afghan trade activities. Ahmadzai Wazir elders also announced to convene the third jirga on Saturday to ratify the decisions taken today.

Meanwhile, a protest sit-in by the local tribes has been going on for the last five months at the Angoor Adda border point with the participants demanding making the dormant health centres and schools functional, and provision of mobile network and internet facility.

The participants also demanded provision of electricity to the locals.

Lower South Waziristan deputy commissioner Nasir Khan claimed that his administration had met most of the demands of the protesters.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2024